Observing the world of renewable energy and sustainable living

RICAS-2020 – Compressed Air Storage

EU scientists are investigating if high pressure air, stored in empty mines and tunnels, could provide an alternative for pumped hydro storage in mountain basins. Currently pumped air storage efficiency merely reaches ca. 50%. The goal of the project is to substantially increase that efficiency to 70-80%. The trick is to not ignore the thermal losses accompanied with putting air under pressure, c.q. releasing it.